


Birds of a feather flock together

by crisantemu



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fix-It, Gen, Grief/Mourning, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Revenge, Slight Aiballshipping, Speculation, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:06:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crisantemu/pseuds/crisantemu
Summary: Everyone has their own form of moving on.Yusaku has finally found a new path after 10 long years being haunted by his past demons.Ai threw away his past self, grieving, the Dark Ignis is trying to piece back together his tiny made-up family and hunt down the ones responsible for the slaughter of his real family.Roboppy of course, will follow Ai, even if Master Yusaku says otherwise, that's what it means to have free-will.





	Birds of a feather flock together

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this before ep 104 so huuuhhh, it doesn't *exactly* follow canon. This is mainly just an excuse to write these three as a family but OMG the new OP is so good. The lyrics had me legit tear up! I'm so hype for season 3 guys!!

 

 

 

> _“I’ll retrieve you Let’s go and look ahead_
> 
> _By meeting you, the world is in color_
> 
> _I’ll protect you with an unseen bond_
> 
> _calling With invisible wings_
> 
> _Destroy the darkness and weakness within me”_
> 
> \- Calling, Kimeru

 

 

Ai stiffens, hiding further deep into the shadows of a random hallway.

It's kind of funny actually; how he so fervently had told himself and Roboppi that this new body of his was for the sole purpose of their mission, but then the first thing he ended up doing with it was _this._

Maybe he just wanted to blend in with the creatures he loved so much. To wear the skin of a human and walk among them, eat with them, sleep like them. All of this without a care in the world, no responsibilities or evil organizations after his head - or has it would be more appropriate in _that_ case, his _eyeball._

The new SOLtiS androids didn't came with the ability to eat or sleep, but he was just fine with the high tech sensors that allowed him to _feel_ on his skin what humans usually felt and, of course, the looks.

And oh, how _handsome_ he was. He could not wait until Yusaku saw--

...

There weren't many places in the real world he could go with it though. The only ones he knew being the High School his Origin attends to and of course, the central plaza where it will _always_ be parked a yellow hot dog truck.

And that was the first place Ai had went as soon as he left Link Vrains, Roboppi choosing to stay there finishing the arrangements to the five grave stones they built.

 

( _At first he had rejected her. Involving Roboppi into his business was way too dangerous for somebody like the tiny roomba who spent her whole life scrubbing floors and offering reminders. But, alongside her free will, she also obtained part of Ai's stuburness when his back-up had affected her. She had thrown a tantrum, yelling until Ai ended up agreeing to take her with him to the Cyberse._

_The stories Ai had told her in the past always had an happy ending, but not this one..._

_Roboppi had chosen the flowers; blue anemones, red roses, orange chrysanthemums, green orchids, yellow tulips and a single purple hyacinth._

_"No need for the purple one." He said as he carefully carved the designs into the alabast pillars._

_Roboppi approached him, bouquet in her ams. It was so large that she was practically hugging the thing, the floral crown had a width-spread probably of her very same size and it hid most of her tiny frame._

_"It is needed." She simply replies and Ai is glad neither can see each other's face.)_

 

He had logged out near Yusaku's neighbourhood without a real plan sketched out. He had thought of it, at some point at least. There was just _too much_ to thought about in that moment.

Ai could simply just walk in and knock at his door. But then what? You can only come back from the dead once and there was no telling how Yusaku would react and do at the sight of _"probably a cosplayer"_ \- as one of the many wandering people had whispered to their pointing friend had called him - standing at his doorstep, arms spread wide and a _"smirk that could belong to a serial killer."_

(Oh he was so enjoying this.)

Ai looked up at the sky, hands resting on his hips. It was already summer, the sky was cloudless and the air was humid. Ai groaned as he removed his overcoat and holded him over his arm. The skin sensitivity to outside events was plain unnecessary and sometimes annoying, but still Ai won't deny it was a pleasant feeling. His skin had never felt so… _tingly_.

The sun was high on the cloudless sky, meaning that there was still time before Yusaku left school. Soon he would enter his summer break period too. What would he even do with all that free time? There were not more Knights, no more wars, their home--

"Home…" Ai said aloud, looking ahead. He briefly closed his eyes but opened them soon after when the image of a wasteland was drawn into the back of his eyelids.

There was still time until the afternoon came, so Ai just decided to walk around the streets.

Wherever he walked, people's eyes were on him, whispering and pointing. The more he ventured into the center of the city the more eyes laid on him, and Ai would _feast_ in all of the attention, getting personal enjoyment on the way women flustered whenever he flapped off the sweat of his clothes or brushed back the long bags that _clung_ on his forehead and neck.

At some point he had _winked_ at a group of girls, smirking in delight at the way they had swooned for him. Some even coming up to him and asking him if he was a model or an actor.

Ai had laughed as he confirmed it, making up a grand complex story of how he came from a different continent, invited to give the best _performance_ the world has ever seen.

"--You should come and see me." He finished, tone a bit deeper, eyes lidded in a lazy manner. It had the desired effect as the bright-eyed girls squeal and frantically nod, cheeks flushed.

Ai smiled back. This was amazing! Humans _did_ act _exactly_ how he had seen on those shows Yusaku called dumb.

It took awhile for the girls to leave him be, but he eventually managed to outrun them.

He had hopped around, arms dangling at his sides in a childish manner. He loved it! Loved the way his new appendages felt, and how the thin silk of his purple vest felt on his skin and how the the wind blew against his face, ruffling his hair and making him close his eyes because it stang _._ It actually _stang!_

He laughed, arms spread wide, running as fast as he could, like a bird taking flight.

He was _fast,_ there were no lungs holding him back nor heartbeat pounding on his cheeks but it was fine. The heat, the wind, it was all he needed right now.

Before the sun setted, he even more fun; successfully flirting with some girls into buying him some ice cream (it was so _soft_ and _cold_ against his tongue!), and then joining the kids on the playground. They _loved_ him; from his clothes to his stories. They also taught him how to swing and successfully jump off.

It wasn't perfect at the beggining but he managed to do it before one of the mothers chased him away, holding her purse as a weapon.

Ai snickered through his bloody nose, ignoring the _pain_ there and waved at the group of giggling children before taking of on another sprint, overcoat in one hand and jacket in the other.

A cosplayer, a freak, an entertainer… oh man, he can't wait to get back and tell Roboppi all this. She always loved his stories. That would certainly cheer her up!

The clock on the center of the city was now marking 7 p.m, he exact hour Yusaku comes by the hot dog truck. And with the help and indications from the people that _actually_ were willing to talk to him he has found his way to the plaza.

And that's where he is now; standing next to a group of teenagers, all seated at a café out of the hot dog truck owner's eyesight. He had stepped out of hiding, figuring out that there really was no way of Yusaku recognizing him.

He waits for a while, in the meantime accepting the waiter's offer of having a glass of water as we _"waits for his companion"._

And when the young man comes back carrying the glass and is about to place it in front of Ai, the unsaid 'thank you' dies on the android's tongue as, from the other side of the plaza, Yusaku Fujiki walks by in the company of Takeru Homura.

"Sir?" The waiter's voice snaps Ai out of his trance for a short moment, "Your water."

Ai nods slowly, eyes turning to the man. The way he trembles under his gaze doesn't go unnoticed by Ai.

"Thank you." He gives the youth his most charming smile and this time he really can't hold back the laughter when the man actually _blushes._ Humans really are _so easy_.

The group of teenagers (only now Ai realized, they were wearing the same uniform as Yusaku and Takeru) are now looking at him and Ai's laugher dies down to a chuckle, raising his glass at the teens before bringing it to his lips. Some of the girls giggle, hands to mouth while the others simply roll their eyes mouthing some kind of insult.

Oh, humans are so fun to mess with. Despite being a _greedy, useless_ race; they always provided Ai with the best kind of entertainement.

Howeever there was only _one_ single human that Ai _loved,_ one that always managed to exceed his expatations.

Ai looks back at where Yusaku is. Takeru had sitted on one of the tables, smiling up at the other boy that's now behind the counter wearing an apron.

It's surreal. How during the year Ai had spent with Yusaku the boy had shown less emotion than what he saw today from other people. _Normal_ people.

But right now…

Yusaku looks genuinely _happy_ . In his usually stoic features there's a soft smile, winding up once in awhile when Takeru says something particularly _funny._

It makes Ai feel… something, he never felt before. It's in his chest, _squeezing_ and his expression sinks into emptiness.

Aoi Zaizen comes over after some time, taking her order. Takeru calls the girl to sit next to him but she refuses with a polite smile. When she leaves, Yusaku closes the truck and goes to sit next to Takeru.

Ai wonders if Takeru also misses Flame.

 

_(Roboppi is crying._

_She's holding onto Ai like a lifeline as she let's it all out; it's loud and almost obnoxious but, Ai guesses, expected from something that had never felt any emotions._

_She told him she had cried when she felt sad when she thought he was gone and then she cried when she couldn't contain her happiness when Ai had called out to her and pulled her into Link Vrains and fulfilling the promise of giving her the humanity she was so curious about._

_Now, standing in the desert fields of what used to be Ai's home, she is crying out of anger._

_He hugs her back, pulling her small body close to his, her arms surrounding his waist and her head is buried in his abdomen._

_"You_ lied _to me." She sobs, "You said you saved them!"_

_Ai closes his eyes, lips quivering. He knows her tears weren't for the other Ignis as she never knew them. She cried for him, for all the lies he had planted, running and hiding from the ugliness of the truth._

_He couldn't save them. He couldn't save his home. And he barely could save himself._

_"I'm sorry… I swear I'll--"_

_God. He can't talk. There's a knot forming in his throat and his vision is starting to get blurry with thick alligator tears he refuses to shed. He can't hold them back for much longer._

_"--I'll make it up to you."_

_A sniff. "H-How? ...they're gone."_

_"Yes." Ai swallows down the knot on his throat, "This family...? I let them all escape through my fingers. But I still have you. I still have Yusaku._ We _are a family!"_

_Roboppi sniffs again and pulls back to stare at Ai. Her golden eyes are swollen and her cheeks are wet with trails of tears. Ai sinks down to his knees, standing now at Roboppi's height and tenderly holds her face with both hands._

_"You_ hear _me? I_ will _protect you!_ Both _of you!" Roboppi's lip quivers and Ai smiles, his thumbs caressing her skin, whipping some of her tears away. "We only have each other now. We will avenge the others and carry on Yusaku's dream. We will build a new home. Just the three of us!"_

_"Aniki--"_

_"I_ swear _to you, Roboppi." He chokes out. "I swear by all that's left of me!")_

 

Ai plays with his empty glass. Shoichi had arrived, probably from visiting his little brother. He dispenses Yusaku and the boy nods, talking of his apron and grabbing his things before leaving.

Takeru is waiting outside and wraps his arm around Yusaku's shoulder, pulling him close to his body.

Ai squeezes the cup.

They both shout goodbye at Kusanagi-san and walk away. _Together_.

Ai gets up from his sit and hurryingly tells the waiter he's leaving.

The man nods at him with pity. He's probably thinking he got dumped, that his companion abandoned him. He's not entirely wrong. But it's all Ai' fault…

He follows them through the streets, noticing that they were in fact, walking the opposite direction to Yusaku's apartment.

They finally arrive at a small condominium. Takeru pulls out a key from his pocket and opens the door, walking right in followed by Yusaku.

When the door closes behind them it's when all becomes clear for Ai.

_'Of course… It must get lonely, living all by yourself in an house where there's only ghosts…'_

Ai walks to the front door, silent as a dark phantom. His long over coat hovers behind with smoothly, as dark as the shadows that flicker as the moon rises high in the skin, hidden behind the tall buildings of a city that never sleeps.

He looks over the steel slabs, searching for the a familiar name.

He eventually is able to make out the kanji for ' _Homura'_ in the dark (how could he even forget the traces of ink Flame had written it over and over again, explaining its meaning to Ai for the eighth time that very same day).

Ai touches it briefly. The steel feels smooth and _cold_ on his palm.

He reaches for the inner pocket of his jacket and takes out the purple hyacinth, the virtually-made flower remained as scentless and unblemished as when Roboppi had presented it to him.

 

_("It is needed.")_

 

Ai sighs, feeling the trails of a smile quirking up at the corner of his lips.

"Wait for me, Yusaku." He says as he slips the flower into the mail hole under Takeru's family name.

And, like a phantom in the night, he flees out of the real world, just in time for all the news scourses in Japan announce the sudden and mysterious death of SOL Tec's CEO and creator of the SOLtiS androids.

**Author's Note:**

> Ai is looking after revenge and it's all thanks to Yusaku's bad influences lol  
> This will probably be long so kudos/comments would be much appreciated <3


End file.
